Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
A Dangerous Duet
A Dangerous Duet: A Novel | Karen Odden
This dazzling new Victorian mystery from USA Today bestselling author Karen Odden introduces readers to Nell Hallam, a determined young pianist who stumbles upon the operations of a notoriousand deadlycrime ring while illicitly working as the piano player in a Soho music hall. Perfect for readers of Tasha Alexander, Anne Perry, and Deanna Raybourn. Nineteen-year-old Nell Hallam lives in a modest corner of Mayfair with her brother Matthew, an inspector at Scotland Yard. An exceptionally talented pianist, she aspires to attend the Royal Academy; but with tuition beyond their means, Nell sets out to earn the money herselfby playing piano in a popular Soho music hall. And the fact that she will have to disguise herself as a man and slip out at night to do it doesnt deter her. Spending evenings at the Octavian is like entering an alternate world, one of lively energy, fascinating performers, raucous patronsand dark secrets. And when Nell stumbles upon the operations of an infamous crime ring working in the shadows of the music hall, she is drawn into a conspiracy that stretches the length of London. To further complicate matters, she has begun to fall for the hall owner's charismatic son, Jack, who has secrets of his own. The more Nell becomes a part of the Octavians world, the more she risks the relationships with the people she loves. And when another performer is left for dead in an alley as a warning, she realizes her future could be in jeopardy in more ways than one.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
Pick icon
100%
blurb
Eggs
post image

On my Kindle TBR…

Pianist Nell sets out to earn the money to attend the Royal Academy by playing piano in a popular Soho music hall. But she must #disguise herself as a man to do so. She steps into a night-time world of secrets and dangers…

#WickedWhispers

@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Sounds good! 3mo
Eggs Yes🙌🏻 3mo
38 likes1 stack add2 comments
blurb
SilversReviews
post image

Thanks to these Litsy folks for today‘s prompt:

#GRATEFULHARVEST
@Eggs
@AlwaysBeenALoverOfBooks

Today‘s Prompt: BOOTS

“I picked my way toward it across the uneven ground glad that I was in stout boots and trousers instead of my usual skirts."

POST/REVIEW: https://tinyurl.com/5n8z7264

Eggs Beautiful 👢👠🥾 3y
SilversReviews @Eggs LOVE the boot graphics…very clever. 3y
28 likes2 comments
review
Aims42
Pickpick

A thrilling read!! Definitely recommend to any fans of ‘Miss Scarlet and The Duke‘ on PBS 👍🏻 A solid 4 star read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

blurb
Aims42
post image

Enjoying some reading time outside in the sun 😎🥰☀️

blurb
Laughterhp
post image

I‘ve never had this happen before. An author sent me a message after reading my review. She was really nice and explained what happened with her first book (editing issues and how it wasn‘t what she wanted it to be).

She then offered to send me her second book for free. Which is a completely different mystery (an art mystery) so I said sure I‘ll read it!

Has anyone else experienced this on goodreads?

Powered_By_Plants Ahh how sweet 🥰 Did you like her book? 4y
Laughterhp @Powered_By_Plants I said it was okay and I probably wouldn‘t read the next one 🤦‍♀️😂. But then she explained it was a stronger book and then offered to send me it, so I‘ll read it now. 4y
Cinfhen That‘s hilarious and kind of awesome 🤩 hope you enjoy it 4y
See All 9 Comments
Powered_By_Plants 😂 she wants to win you over! Hopefully you like this one better 😁 4y
Laughterhp @Powered_By_Plants I know! No pressure 😂 4y
Laughterhp @Cinfhen I know! I hope I like it too. I never think of the authors actually reading the short reviews I do on GR. They are more for me in the future. 😂 4y
Cinfhen Twice I‘ve had authors respond to my reviews and both we‘re genuinely touched and offered a heartfelt reply. Oh and once, an author responded to my review stating she disliked my word usage and could I kindly replace an adjective. 😂😂😂😂😂 it‘s true, I never really think an author is going on GoodReads to see what I have to say 😜 4y
Laughterhp @Cinfhen That‘s so weird that they asked you to change a word. 🤦‍♀️ I kind of hope you didn‘t lol. 4y
ElleSkel I have had an author send me a friend request after reviewing their book, and I have had an author like me review. But I have never had dialogue with an author on goodreads. Especially not like @Cinfhen 😂😂😂 4y
63 likes9 comments
review
Laughterhp
post image
Pickpick

This was an interesting Victorian mystery. I really liked Nell and the mystery was good. Her brother is a detective at Scotland Yard and she gets roped into a crime ring. All she wants to do is play the piano. There were some issues I had with this book, but it is a stand-alone mystery.

I‘m currently in a transition period at work and can‘t do anything so I‘ll be getting a lot of reading done. Just waiting to see if I‘ll have a job in Feb. 🤪

Laughterhp #BookSpinBingo - Square 17 4y
58 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
Laughterhp
post image

Sorry, maybe this is a stupid question, but they keep mentioning it and it‘s really bugging me..

This is set in London in 1857. They keep saying her mom ran off to Europe. Isn‘t London a part of Europe?!

Did they think London was it‘s own continent?! She was in France...

BookishMarginalia I think they would have used “the Continent,” not Europe. 4y
Hooked_on_books Since we‘ve moved to Hawaii, my husband will talk about what‘s going on “back in the States.” Um… 4y
Laughterhp @Hooked_on_books Haha That‘s so weird! 4y
See All 7 Comments
Bookzombie @BookishMarginalia I also think they would have said “the Continent.” 4y
Cuilin Just means continental Europe, (France etc) we do this in Ireland too even though we‘re part of Europe. 4y
Laughterhp @Cuilin Hmm okay! Good to know. I‘ll try not let it annoy me then if it‘s normal 😂 4y
Cuilin @Laughterhp I don‘t know why we do that 🤷‍♀️ maybe island culture? My guess is Iceland does it too. We‘re all European but we‘re separated from the “mainland”. 4y
47 likes7 comments
review
hes7
post image
Mehso-so

Of course, I‘m behind on reviews. 🤦🏼‍♀️ But now, a few days after finishing this book, I can‘t say it stood out among historical mysteries for me. Mostly just “meh.” #scarathlon #teamslaughter #screamathon

alisiakae And I‘m behind at checking in on everyone‘s #Screamathon reviews 😂 It‘s all casual and no pressure here! 👻 4y
55 likes1 comment
blurb
LindseysLibrary303
post image

Can‘t wait to get started on this tonight! That and all the Dove chocolate I‘m about to eat! #JolabokaflodSwap

MaleficentBookDragon 🎁🎄🍫 📚 Happy #Jolakabodflod 5y
23 likes1 stack add1 comment
review
Amie
post image
Pickpick

Won this in a Goodreads giveaway about a year ago, so I am long overdue for reading it. I won the sequel from LT Early Reviewers last month, so that helped motivate me.

Set in 1875 London, a young pianist becomes involved in an investigation into a gang of thieves while she is secretly working at a music hall to earn tuition for the conservatory. Solid Victorian mystery that isn't necessarily exceptional but interesting enough that I'll read #2.

41 likes1 stack add
review
DGRachel
post image
Pickpick

The problem with falling behind on ARCs is that I often feel guilty for not reading them before the publication date and end up buying a copy. In this case, I bought the audiobook, which I really enjoyed. There‘s a decent mystery here, and I like the main character and most of the secondary characters. The pseudo-psychology bugged me, though, and the ending was too tidy, but over all I‘d give it somewhere between 3 - 4 stars.

rretzler I read something by the author several years ago and have been looking out for her next book. I‘ll be checking this one out. 6y
alisiakae I‘ve stopped requesting ARC‘s...too much pressure! Considering books usually sit in my house for at least a year before I get around to them. I‘m really working on that this year. 6y
DGRachel @4thhouseontheleft I have stopped requesting them, too, but I have a hefty backlog to get through. 😭 6y
90 likes1 stack add4 comments
review
oddandbookish
post image
Pickpick

Victorian England at its grimiest. Full review on my blog.

43 likes3 stack adds
review
intothehallofbooks
post image
Pickpick

Great historical mystery set in 1875 London. Nell disguises herself as a boy to play piano in a music hall and discovers that the music hall is center for a very complex crime organization. The characters in this book are GREAT as is the setting. It was just super fun to read. Nell is great too; she had a lot independence as a young female in Victorian London where oftentimes women in historical mysteries had to bow to propriety. Highly recommend!

SilversReviews I read this too...enjoyed it. 6y
35 likes1 comment
review
SilversReviews
post image
Pickpick

What else could be happening behind the scenes at The Octavian except piano playing and entertaining of every sort?

If you enjoy mystery, secrets, and the Victorian era, A DANGEROUS DUET will be an appealing read.

Full Review at the link below.

https://silversolara.blogspot.com/2018/11/a-dangerous-duet-by-karen-odden.html

Crazeedi Great review, thanks! 6y
SilversReviews @Crazeedi Thanks, and thanks for always commenting. I appreciate it. 6y
Crazeedi Like I told you, I find great books from your recommendations, so thank you. Keep giving me more ideas for my infinite to read list!😉 6y
59 likes1 stack add4 comments
blurb
SilversReviews
post image

blurb
Amie
post image

My Goodreads giveaway win arrived today. I like the book design with the pretty details on the title page and first pages of chapters.

DivineDiana 👏🏻📚👏🏻 6y
51 likes1 comment
blurb
SilversReviews
post image

FULL REVIEW ON 11/6

What else could be happening behind the scenes at The Octavian except piano playing and entertaining of every sort?

I enjoyed the characters, and Ms. Ogden‘s writing style was detailed and interesting.

If you enjoy mystery, secrets, and the Victorian era, A DANGEROUS DUET will be an appealing read. 4/5

review
Lynnsoprano
post image
Pickpick

I won this book on LibraryThing early reviewer list last month, and I‘m so glad I did. This is a very suspenseful story, but there‘s another aspect that interested me: how well do you know a person, and the recognition of good people doing bad things and the reasons behind those actions. Full review on LibraryThing and Goodreads. 4/5⭐️

SilversReviews What a great photo. I am reading this book now. 6y
Lynnsoprano @SilversReviews Thanks! It just seemed appropriatel. I hope you enjoy it. 6y
57 likes2 comments
blurb
Amie
post image

I'm having a lucky week: I won the book on the left from Goodreads and the one on the right from LibraryThing! I'm especially excited about Longworth's book because I love her podcast and Old Hollywood in general.

SilversReviews I have this too. Looks good...love the cover. 6y
robinb I‘d like to read Odden‘s book. I‘ve read another from her that I really enjoyed. 😊 6y
Amie @robinb was it "A Lady in the Smoke"? I've had that one on my Kindle for a long time and need to read it! 6y
robinb @amie Yes it was! I believe it was a debut novel, and I gave it a 4/5⭐️. I enjoyed it (and mentioned that I‘d like to read more from her). 😊 6y
53 likes5 comments
blurb
Lynnsoprano
post image

I have books from @Smarkies that I can‘t wait to read, a generous gift from @AmyG that‘s calling my name, plus who knows how many unread books on the shelves. Still, a #LibraryThing #EarlyReviewer book goes to the top of the list. Intriguing opening.

blurb
Lynnsoprano
post image

I just had to request this when I saw it on the LibraryThing Early Reviewer list. I was pleased when I won it, but until it arrived yesterday, I hadn‘t realized it was by Karen Odden. Now I‘m excited to read it. A Lady in the Smoke was excellent; I hope this matches it. Of course, any book involving music is going to the top of my list 😄

67 likes1 stack add
blurb
DGRachel
post image

#bookmail My first win from LibraryThing‘s Early Reviewers program. Looking forward to reading this one.

Lynnsoprano My copy came yesterday! 6y
92 likes1 stack add1 comment